Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a covering device for a storage area of a motor vehicle, comprising a storage area cover which is flexible at least in sections and which may be pulled out of a storage device against a spring force into a use position, the storage area cover having a bearing rod on its free end, which extends over the width of the storage area cover and has a guide element on each of its free ends; comprising a guide device, which has two guide rails running in parallel to each other, in which the guide elements are guidable; and comprising at least one locking device for releasably locking the guide elements in the guide rails, the locking device having a latching protrusion in each guide rail, to which the particular guide element is latchable against the spring force with the aid of a latching lug, and the particular latching lug being able to be lifted over the particular latching protrusion for the purpose of releasing the lock by tilting the bearing rod with the aid of an actuating element.
Description of the Background Art
Covering devices are known from the conventional art. To protect the contents of a storage area of a motor vehicle from external view or also from sunlight, it is known to assign the storage area of a motor vehicle a covering device, with the aid of which a user may cover the storage area as needed. A storage area cover is frequently provided in the form of a flexible roll-up tarp, which may be pulled out of a storage device, which is then designed as a winding device, against a spring force of the storage device into a use position, in which the storage area is partially or completely covered. To be able to lock the storage area cover in the use position, a locking device is sensibly provided, which interacts with the free end of the storage area cover, the storage area cover generally having a rigid end element for this purpose, such as a bearing rod which extends over the entire width, a guide element being provided on each free lateral end thereof, which is displaceably guided in a guide rail and is lockable in at least one position in the guide rail.
For example, EP 1 923 269 B1 discloses a covering device of the generic type, in which the guide elements may be introduced into recesses in the guide rail by tilting an end-side bearing rod. The lock may be released again by tilting back the bearing rod. Similar covering devices are also known from DE 10 2008 061 106 A1, DE 10 2006 008 873 B4 and DE 102 56 348 B4.
However, the known covering devices have the disadvantage that the lock is always able to be released only by tilting the bearing rod in only one direction. However, if the storage area is filled so full that it is not possible to tilt the bearing rod in this direction, which is often also connected to a rigid end piece (end board), as shown, for example in DE 102 56 348 B4, because, for example, the end board bumps against the cargo, it is not possible to open the storage area cover without first unloading the cargo.